In a statement, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission confirmed it has formally approved a request to transition the Palisades plant license from decommissioning to operating status.
Viktoria Mitlyng, a spokesperson for the NRC said it is a historic step — and the first time a nuclear plant in the US has been granted an operating license after beginning the decommissioning process.
"There's never been a plant that was formally in decommissioning status that has gone through all the actions and checks to be able to return to operation," Mitlyng said.
In a statement sent by Holtec, the owner of the plant, the company called the move a "major regulatory milestone".
“This is a proud and historic moment for our team, for Michigan, and for the United States,” Holtec International President Kelly Trice said in the statement.
According to the company's statement, the new approval will allow the plant to begin receiving fuel and transition licensed operators to on-shift status. But Mitlyng said there are still additional actions Holtec is expected to take by August 25th that would allow the plant to actually begin loading fuel under the new approval.
"There are some additional steps before Palisades can actually go from zero power, so not being connected to the grid, to actually connecting to the grid and going into operation," Mitlyng said.
Beyond that, Mitlyng said there will be even more steps beyond licensing approval that Holtec will need to take before the plant can become fully operational, such as undergoing inspections for equipment, programming and safety elements.
“Our review is not done. It's still ongoing and we will make sure that the plant can meet all the requirements for an operating reactor. Otherwise, we won't allow the plant to return to operation," Mitlyng said.
